On Wed, 10 Apr 1996, ELISABETH GAMBLER wrote:
> I just read the message from Peg Williamson in Milwaukee, and had
> another fit of depression!!! Do schools (4-year schools) still offer
> degrees purely in "education" and certify people to teach high
> school level math without a math major???
>
> In Vermont, to become certified for secondary teaching, a person must
> have a major (Or equivalent # of hoursand courses) in the field in
> which he/she is certified to teach. This has done away with an
> education major in the state. The education department still has
> work to do, to offer courses which lead to certification, but the
> students must declare a subject area for a major.
> Obviously many high school teachers are
> grandfathered in and are the old education majors, but the new
> teachers have to have much more than intermediate algbra to teach
> math in middle or secondary school...Of course this does not solve
> all the problems...lousy teachers are still lousy teachers, but it
> does ensure at least minimal competency in the field. At least this
> is the case in math...in foreign languages it is different because
> you can have a French major and be certified in modern languages and
> find yourself teaching Spanish!!...but that's another story!
>
> I would like to know what the standards are in other states for
> secondary school mathematics teachers.....maybe with higher math
> competency standards for the teachers, we would find the students
> better prepared for college!!
>
> Beth Gambler
> Vermont Technical College
> Randolph Center, VT 05061
> tel. 802-728-1205
> egambler@night.vtc.vsc.edu
>